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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
FEBRUARY 20, 2026
SUNRISE, FLA. AT AMERANT BANK ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON SYFY
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett
Attendance: WrestleTix reports as of show time, 10,895 tickets had been distributed. The arena has a capacity of 23,000 spectators when configured for concerts. Previous time in the arena, on Aug. 19, 2024 for Raw, it drew 13,000.
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[HOUR ONE]
-Joe Tessitore introduced the show as they showed an aerial view of South Florida and then the exterior of the arena, home of the Florida Panthers. They cut backstage to Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky as Tessitore plugged Ripley vs. Giulia. Then they showed Giulia with Kiana James, Charlotte Flair with Liv Morgan, and Kiana James with Nia Jax. Then they showed Damien Priest with R-Truth, Carmelo Hayes, and Trick Williams.
-A vignette aired on the Sami Zayn vs. Jacob Fatu vs. Cody Rhodes match on Smackdown last week ending with Drew McIntyre interfering leading to Cody’s win.
-Cody then made his ring entrance. Barrett said he’s one win away from headlining WrestleMania once again. Fans chanted “Cody! Cody!” Then they sang “Cody, Cody Rhodes!” Cody asked what the fans wanted to talk about. Jacob Fatu’s music then interrupted. Fatu walked to the ring.
Fatu opened: “Let’s keep it 100.” He said Cody wouldn’t even be out there talking about Elimination Chamber if it weren’t for Drew. He said he had both Cody and Sami beat last week. He said his concern isn’t Cody right now. He said his concern is now about Drew. G.M. Nick Aldis came out instead. Aldis said Fatu has every right to be upset, but he anticipated this so he gave Drew the night off. He said he doesn’t like to leave the champion off his show, but he felt it was best. He asked Fatu to let Cody continue to speak and he invited Fatu to his office to speak. Drew interrupted from a luxury suite.
Drew said they can’t leave his name out of their mouths. Drew said he appreciated the night off, but he’s the champion and he does what he wants. He said he loves Smackdown so much, he bought himself an entire suite to watch the show. He said he heard Fatu running his mouth. “All gas, no breaks?” he said. “More like all bark, no bite.” Fatu snapped and charged to ringside. Security tried to stop him. He threw them around. Aldis came to ringside and pleaded with him to listen. He asked him if he wants to get suspended. Aldis said they’re going to take Drew out of the arena and then he still wanted to talk with him. Fatu told Aldis, “I need him and I need that.” Aldis sounded sympathetic and said he understood.
Drew said the whole damn world is against him because he is the champ. He said everyone is jealous and everyone wants to be him because he is the champ. Cody told Drew the whole world is after him not because he’s the champ, but because he’s an asshole.
(Keller’s Analysis: It seems Aldis wants to talk to Fatu about giving him another chance to get into the Chamber given the circumstances last week. Overall, everyone came across well in terms of their character’s reactions to circumstances.)
-Ilja Dragunov told Carmelo Hayes not to miss tonight. He was very intense, then laughed and said he might’ve been too intense there. Hayes said he doesn’t need him telling him how to be him, but he said he should direct that enthusiasm to his match. A calmer Dragunov said he believes in Hayes. He said that he, not Hayes, will walk into WrestleMania as U.S. Champion. Dragunov then headed to the ring. [c]
-Aldis asked Fatu how long he had to wait to get here. He said he will get him Drew, but he needed him to wait. Fatu said he isn’t going to wait much longer. He then left the arena into the parking lot.
(1) ILJA DRAGUNOV vs. TAMA TONGA (w/Solo Sikoa, Tala Tonga, J.C. Mateo)
Barrett said Tama is a man on the rise with a win over Shinsuke Nakamura two weeks ago and the win for his team in a tag match last week. The bell rang 25 minutes into the hour. They cut to a very early break after Dragunov rallied wit a series of moves including a back suplex and a running boot to send Tama to ringside. [c/db]
Back from the break, after a neckbreaker by Tama, he scored a two count. At 8:00, Dragunov landed a uranage, but was slow to get up. He fended off Tama with headbutts and climbed to the top rope. He landed a senton. Mateo stood on the ring apron, so Dragunov paused to knock him off the ring apron. Tama stood and rolled up Dragunov for a two count. Loa then stood on the ring apron, distracting Dragunov and giving Tama an opening to strike with his Cut Throat. Barrett said three distractions by the MFTs ultimately sealed Dragunov’s fate.
WINNER: Tama Tonga in 10:00.
-Afterward, Solo Said if they thought he was playing, they were wrong. “This is my family tree, this is my show, and this is what’s going to happen from now on.” Dragunov jumped Solo from behind. The MFTs teamed up against Dragunov. Talla fended off Matt Cardona who ran to ringside for the save. Apollo Crews then ran out, but he ended up down on his back. The lights went dark and then the Wyatt Sicks appeared on the big screen. Uncle Howdy said it’s clear that Solo uses his family as a crutch. He said if he’s the shining light, then it’s time show everyone that he can stand on his own. He said it’s time he show everyone he can stand on his own. He said the next time he comes to the ring, he will stand alone and expose all the insecurities he has hidden from the Fireflies. “The only question is: Will you show up?” He then laughed as the lights flickered.
-Aldis approached Drew and angrily asked what he was going to do next. Drew said he was just having fun. Aldis said he’s not having fun. He said he gave him the night off. He said points for originality in buying a luxury suit, “but keep testing me, and I’ll show you what I can really do.” Drew told Aldis to relax and he’d do him a favor and leave.
(Keller’s Analysis: They’re certainly pointing toward Aldis adding more than one wrestler to Drew’s match at WrestleMania.)
-Byron Saxton interviewed Randy Orton about the competition he’ll face in the Chamber. Orton said everyone is on edge. He was about to speak about being in the ring with Cody, in walked Zelina Vega. She laughed and said it’s almost as if they predicted him and Cody going to battle. She said there’s only one road to left. Aleister Black walked in and said at one time the locker room feared nothing more than an RKO, but he asked what happened to Orton. Orton said he knows what he’s trying to do. Orton challenged him to a match later. Fans cheered. Black said, “You might think it’s buried, but consider me the shovel that will dig it back up.”
(Keller’s Analysis: Things seem to be pointing toward Drew vs. Cody vs. Fatu vs. Orton as a distinct possibility for WrestleMania that they’re planting seed for.)
-The showed Jade Cargill backstage.
-A WWE Shop commercial aired for A.J. Styles merch. [c]
-Saxton interviewed Nia Jax and Lash Legend. Jax said she’ll win tonight and then team with Lash next week in a tag title match. Lash expressed confidence.
-Jade Cargill made her ring entrance. A clip aired of last week’s Cargill win over Tiffany Stratton followed by a face-to-face moment at ringside with Liv Morgan. Tessitore said Liv has said she’ll announce her decision on Monday night. Jade said she defends her title on her time. She said whoever comes out of the Chamber, be it Charlotte, Alexa Bliss, Iyo Sky, Tiffany Stratton, Nia Jax, or Rhea Ripley, “at the end of the day,” she’ll leave WrestleMania as the champ “because I’m still that bitch.” She dropped the mic and left.
As she made her way to the stage, Charlotte’s music played and she walked to Jade, paused, eyed her belt and then looked at her face, then kept walking. Jade got in her face. Charlotte let out a “wooo!” A ref ran out and separated them. Charlotte continued to head to the ring.
(Keller’s Analysis: Segments like that, kept short, allow her to exude her star power and arrogance without belaboring the point and risking diminishing her mystique. They continue to tease Jade vs. Charlotte more than any other match for Jade for WrestleMania.) [c]
-Barrett announced that Aldis made Orton vs. Black official for tonight.
(2) CHARLOTTE FLAIR vs. NIA JAX vs. KIANA JAMES – Elimination Chamber qualifier
The bell rang 58 minutes into the hour. Charlotte took James down with an elbow. She ducked Jax and then threw James into Jax. Jax lifted Charlotte, but Charlotte slipped free. Jax knocked Charlotte down. James indicated to Jax they should work together. Jax grabbed her throat. Charlotte clipped Jax’s legs. Barrett disagreed with Jax’s strategy, but he said she doesn’t play that way. Jax knocked both James and Charlotte in opposite corners and hit hip attacks. She rubbed her butt in James’s face. Charlotte avoided a charging Jax, who went shoulder-first into the ringpost. They cut to a break at 2:00.
[HOUR TWO]
[c]
Charlotte rallied after the break. Jax set up James for a Samoan drop a minute later. Charlotte kicked them down and then leaped off the top rope with a moonsault and landed on both. She covered Jax for a two count at 7:00.
Advertised Matches & Appearances
- Carmelo Hayes vs. Damian Priest vs. Trick Williams – Elimination Chamber Qualifying match
- Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax vs. Kiana James – Elimination Chamber Qualifying match
- Ilja Dragunov vs. Tama Tonga
- Iyo Sky vs. Giulia
- Oba Femi vs. Kit Wilson
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